Past Discretions
by phoenixfire44
Summary: What if Rogue had a past the X-Men didn't know about? What if she knew Remy? What if he was never an Acolyte, but joins the X-Men? ABANDONED. BEEN ADOPTED BY xmangal!
1. Prologue

**Hi, this is my first story so please leave me some constructive criticism. All reviews will be appreciated. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing other than the laptop used to type this on and maybe not even that (Christmas gift!).**

**Notes: I use italics and such like they're normally used in a book.**

**Past Discretions**

**Prologue**

Two shadows moved quickly and gracefully across the rooftops before dropping into a dark alley. The alley was cluttered with dumpsters and smelled like two day old roadkill. Both shadows, revealing themselves to be teenagers, wrinkled their noses, but the stench was obviously normal for them.

The larger shadow- a tall and muscular, but thin boy- looked around the alley in disgust before saying, "Are y' sure y' wanna stay in dis dump, _chere_? Y' know y' can always come back wit' me. De _famille_ loves y'."

The other shadow- a petite girl who was slightly too thin from living on the streets- smiled a rare, genuine smile. "Ah know, Remy," she said, "but Ah lahke havin' no rules, even if livin' conditions are bad."

The boy gave her a concerned glance but didn't push. He knew that she had bad experiences with families, and being free to do her own thing meant everything to her. Honestly, it meant everything to him too, but he couldn't deny that he loved his family and cherished that they had taken him in off the streets. He hoped that one day his best friend and partner in crime would take him up on his offer of a place to stay, instead of living off the streets. For now, though, he would let her live as she wished.

He sighed. "_D'accord_. But if y' ever need a place t' stay, y' always welcome at de LeBeau _Manoir. __Comprenez-moi_?"

"_Je sais._ See ya tomorrah, Remy" With that, the girl turned, moved a board from the was of the alley, and stepped into a small alcove, before moving the makeshift door back into place.

Remy shook his head as he heard her empty her pockets of tonight's loot, everything from wallets to bracelets to spare change.

_De fille's to stubborn fo' 'er own good_, Remy thought as he headed back to his home for the night. _One o' dese days, she not gon' be able t' live of o' de stuff we steal. One o' dese days, de cops gon' catch on dat de Shadow T'ieves are mutants, an' what's Rogue gon' do den. At leas' I got a famille to protect me an' not let me starve._


	2. Fights, Promises, and Running

Disclaimer: If you think I own anything then you need to get your head checked.

**Past Discretions**

**Chapter One**

Remy LeBeau and his best friend Rogue were sitting in an abandoned apartment, waiting for Remy's cousins and drinking any alcohol they had managed to get their hands on. They were celebrating the fact that Remy and Rogue had been officially dating for a month, Remy's longest relationship to date.

The two teenagers were still stealing from those who had enough and picking pockets on the streets. Rogue still lived in the hidden alcove in the smelly alley and Remy was still trying to convince her to move to the LeBeau Mansion. The authorities still hadn't figured out that those they dubbed the 'Shadow Thieves' were mutants and that's why most of the people who were stolen from had no recollection of anything from that night.

Rogue's birthday was in three weeks, she would be turning fifteen. Remy had no clue what to get his best friend/partner/girlfriend as she wasn't very needy of material things, only love and family and she had that. So far, he was just thinking about taking her shopping to get some new clothes as her other ones were too small and dirty. The young goth girl _had_ been complaining about that.

The thinking could wait until later though, as his brother, Mercy, and cousins had just arrived.

* * *

A group of Assassins raced down the road, chasing after the girl with multicolored hair and the boy with the devil eyes. Finally, the thieves were cornered in an alley.

The leader of the Assassin group stepped forward, leering at the girl. She was beautiful, with amazing green eyes, strange hair, full lips, and curves in all the right places. He also just so happened to recognize her as the Prince of Thieves' girlfriend from the streets.

"What's a _petite fille _like y'rself runnin' 'round with nasty T'ieves like 'im? Didn' y'r _mère _ever tell y' not t' listen t' _le diable_," Julien asked.

"No actually," Rogue said. "Ah was taught ta listen ta whoevah ah want an' don' let anyone bully meh."

"Dat's unfortunate," Julien said, without an ounce of real feeling other than malice.

"Fo' you, mebbe," Rogue and Remy chorused, and with that, the fight began.

Even without powers, the Assassins got their butts kicked.

* * *

Remy and Rogue had been dating for six months. Two months ago, Rogue finally agreed to move to the LeBeau Mansion, and three weeks after that, she and Remy had finally confessed their love for each other.

That night, Remy took Rogue out dancing to their favorite Jazz club. Many wondered why they were allowed in as they weren't legal, with Rogue 15 and Remy 17 but both had connections and the club was owned by the Guild. Remy enjoyed twirling his _chere_ around and loved the sound of her happy laughter. His unusual eyes were a burning dark red with love while Rogue's were a glowing emerald.

After dancing for a few hours, the couple went for a walk through a local park to cool off. The park was dark, with fragrant flowers and rippling water. There was a small haven shaded with trees and out of view that the two had fell in love with the minute they saw it a year and a half ago. This soon became their spot.

Remy was leading the Mississippi girl to their spot that night and he felt unnaturally nervous.

_No, the Ragin' Cajun does not get nervous_, he thought but that didn't stop his hands from trembling minutely or his mouth becoming as dry as cotton.

Once in the privacy of the small alcove Remy started digging around in his pockets. Finally, he found what he was looking for. Looking down tenderly and nervously on his sassy girlfriend he noticed her confusion as she stared back at him. Steeling himself and taking a deep breath, Remy held a ring up in front of her.

"_Chere,_" he said, "Dis is a promise ring. Y' don' havta accept it, but it shows how I love y' and don' plan on leavin y' and mebbe someday when we be ready I'll give y' a diff'rent type o' ring. I jus' wanna make sure y' know dat."

Rogue looked up at him with love in her eyes and a small smile on her lips. He may be the empath, but she could tell that he was nervous, from his awkward explanation to the look in the strange eyes she loved. "Ah love it, but ya don' need that ta show meh ya love meh. Ah know ya do sugah."

He smiled at her, his nerves calming slightly at her words. He took her right hand and slipped it on her ring finger, that way no one would think it was an engagement ring, then pulled her in a slow, gentle kiss.

Remy leaned his forehead against hers, and whispered, "_Je t'aime."_

"Ah love ya too, Rems."

* * *

Remy had given Rogue the promise ring about four months ago and she had her sweet sixteen three weeks ago.

All the Thieves Guild children had decided to go clubbing. The strobe lights flashing through the smoky club and over the dancers gave an almost sinister feeling. Rogue was sweating from the combined heat of dozens of bodies, making her glad that she had learned to control her mutation a couple years previously so she wasn't in all those layers. Nevertheless, she was slightly apprehensive about being around so many people that she could be poisonous to.

Rogue was just returning from getting a drink at the bar when she saw them- _them_ being Remy and Bella Donna Boudreaux. Bella Donna was bent over Remy at their table with a skimpy outfit on. Her clothes nearly revealed her butt and all of her cleavage. The way she was bent over Remy would no doubt give him a good view. Bella Donna was whispering in his ear, running a hand over his muscled chest. Remy was making no move to push her off of him.

Rogue started to head that way when she stopped cold. Bella Donna had just turned her lips from Remy's ear and met his own soft lips. Rogue couldn't believe that Remy wasn't moving, letting the Assassin brat kiss him. Remy! He whose lips had so often gently yet passionately kissed Rogue.

Rogue couldn't help the tears that filled her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She was Rogue, and used to people betraying her, getting close to her and then stabbing her in the back. She had been strong for years after her father and aunt disowned her, she wasn't going to let that go, especially in the middle of a very public club. This time was different though. Rogue had given Remy a piece of her heart, a heart she had thought for so long to be lost. Seeing his betrayal tore up what was left of her heart, and she didn't think she could hold the tears much longer.

Turning on her heel, Rogue made her way out of the club, into the noisy New Orleans night.

* * *

Rogue had made her way back across the river, into her native Mississippi. She wasn't planning on staying long, not when the guild would be looking for her, but it was a big state. She finally let her tears fall while resting in a dark forest, the trees blotting out the sun and keeping the land underneath cool.

She had left her motorcycle, a sixteenth birthday present from Jean-Luc, in the LeBeau's garage as it would make it easier to track her. Rogue sobbed even harder as she thought about what else she left behind. Her promise ring had looked so wrong off her finger and resting on Remy's pillow. She couldn't take the reminder off it.

After a few hours of rest and crying, Rogue finally ran out of tears. She was tired, but she wanted to find a motel to sleep at before dark came and she was left out in the forest. However, when she tried to stand up, her legs shook and her back ached. It took all she had not to lay back down and spend the rest of the day on the cold and prickly forest floor.

_Get it togethah, girl,_ Rogue commanded herself. _Ya havta find a motel o' somethin'. Ya not gonna live in tha wild lihke a barbarian._

And with that, she was up, searching for shelter for at least a night.


	3. Threats, Heartbreak, and Tears

**I am so, **_**so **_**sorry for the long wait. My computer was so full of worms and viruses that I could only open the internet, and then it got so bad that it wouldn't even turn on all the way. My stepmom took it to get fixed, finally.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Past Discretions**

**Chapter Two**

Remy LeBeau watched intensely as Rogue made her way to the bar. The swing of her hips, the slight sheen of sweat on her pearly white skin, the graceful way she moved through the crowd, like it was made of water- all were noticed as he observed his girlfriend. He knew his eyes were burning like bright red embers in the night from his love for her. He didn't even know the complete reason _why _he loved her so much. Sure, he loved her stubborn sass, the fragility that she only showed him, the way she could hold her own in a fight. He loved that she trusted him enough to let him help her control her poison skin, that beautiful, deadly skin. He loved that she had seen all the things he had done in the past and accepted it, sharing her own torturous past with him. He loved that she didn't even mind his unusual eyes, even hated when he hid them. Overall, Remy just loved _her._

Movement from the shadows by his table broke Remy from his thoughts; a scantily clad blond bombshell was making her way as close to Remy as she could. Bella Donna. Most males would be overjoyed that someone with her looks was even looking at him, let alone almost giving him a lap dance. Remy wasn't most males though; he had past experience with the young heir to the Assassin's Guild, and knew that the girl never brought anything good.

Bella Donna moved her hand and pushed on Remy's chest, stopping him from rising. She brought her lips to rest by his ear and whispered, "I have nearly a dozen Assassins in here, LeBeau. Y' make _un_ move agains' me or try t' get away and your _prècieux _T'ieves will either have a bullet in dere brain o' a knife in dere back. Dat's includin' y'r _petite pute_. _Comprendre_?"

Remy felt a shiver run down his spine. Scanning the club, he saw several fierce faces, with ugly emotions to match. He knew Bella wasn't joking- why would she be? Rogue- Anna- her life rested in Remy's hands, and it all depended on if Remy let Bella have her way with him.

A feeling of helplessness settled on him. If he didn't let Bella do what she wanted, his family, his love, and practically the whole heart of the Thieves Guild would be taken out in one fell swoop; on the other hand, if Remy did give Bella control, Rogue would probably hate him, and he wouldn't be able to live with the guilt, but at least Rogue and the rest of his family would be in no more danger than usual.

His choice made, Remy steeled himself for the hell that was to come.

Remy finally was released from Bella Donna's clutches. Seems she had gotten so frustrated on him not moving a muscle after ten minutes, and the other Thieves had left the club to head home or elsewhere that she had just let him go. Bella's actions regarding their parting had puzzled Remy as that was something so unlike Bella Donna Boudreaux that Remy was seriously considering that someone else was behind him nearly being practically raped.

_Never mind all dat_, he thought to himself. _Y' gotta find Rogue_.

Remy felt his heart breaking at the thought of his lovely promised one. He hoped she had not witnessed any of the previous events, and it was only taking her so long to return because there was a wait at the bar or she had to go to the bathroom. His laughter at that very nearly came out of his head; with Remy's luck, he'd be more likely to have her come at him with her daggers- she never was fond of guns.

Remy searched the club with his hellish eyes. It was hard to be sure, but he couldn't see nor sense the Rogue anywhere in the building. He felt any small hopes he had crumble. Rogue was gone. Her and Remy had always shared a close bond that made it so he could normally feel her distinct emotional signature within a mile radius. The only things he felt that came close to her were lingering emotions of shock, hurt, and betrayal.

Returning home after searching the city for his love, Remy felt disappointed and depressed. He had royally screwed up and now he had lost his girlfriend. He wouldn't stop looking though; he would find her and explain if it was the last thing he did, which, knowing the feisty girl, it very well might be.

After informing his family of the situation in a flat, emotionless voice, Remy headed to his room. All he wanted to do was lay down and look at pictures of the unusual Rogue. They had so many memories together that he had a hard time believing that she was gone.

Remy's plans however, were ruined by the sight left for him in his quarters.

There, on his pillow, was the promise ring he had given Rogue four months ago. It was small, the perfect size for the thin fingers, with black princess-cut enhanced diamonds and accented with small emeralds that matched Rogue's eyes. Remy felt his breath catch as he fingered the ring. On the inside he had engraved _Ma chère…Mon amour…Ma vie_.

Remy collapsed onto his bed as the words burned like a wildfire in his heart. He could no longer hold his emotions in and silent tears streamed down his face, and his breath hitched and clawed through his throat.

Being strong could wait.

**Alright, translations.**

**Prècieux- precious**

**Petite pute- little whore**

**Comprendre- understand**

**Ma vie- my life**

**If you are a reader of Romy fanfiction then you should know the rest.**

**Again, I'm so sorry about the long wait and I'll try to update as soon as I can, but my Creative Writing exam for the end of the trimester is, like, seven pieces of writing about myself, which is something I'm not comfortable with. I'm also working on an original fiction story, so…yeah. Damn high school!**

**If you want to see the promise ring that Remy gave Rogue, there should be a link on my profile, you just have to imagine the emeralds in place of the regular diamonds.**


	4. Training, Arrivals, and Meetings

**Whew, I hope you enjoy. I'm sorry about the wait, but I honestly doubt that I'll get better at timely updates, so you should just expect them every two to three weeks.**

**Disclaimer: I own N-O-T-H-I-N-G!**

**Past Discretions**

**Chapter Three**

**Two Years Later**

**Rogue**

Rogue sighed as she showered off the sweat, blood, and grime from that morning's team training session. The young X-Men had had to work as a team to make their way through an abandoned factory and retrieve a disk containing the names and information of mutants world-wide, but it wasn't easy. Lasers everywhere, guards trained in many forms of combat, mutant detecting systems, and a maze of corridors were only some of the problems they had faced. In the end, Kitty was covered in cuts and bruises from where she hadn't phased in time, Kurt was as bad as the phaser and he had almost chopped off his tail in the fan of the air conditioning, Jean had a concussion from a guard clobbering her over the head with the butt of his gun, Scott had a limp, and Evan was nursing a bruised face and sprained wrist. Rogue had been the least injured one on the team and had been the one that grabbed the disk. All in all, the team's spirits were low as they left the Danger Room.

_Students, could you meet in the Rec. Room in fifteen minutes, please, _the professor's voice sounded in Rogue's head.

Sighing once again, she quickly finished showering, and got ready for the meeting.

**Remy**

Remy LeBeau sighed as he made his way to the metal gates of the Xavier Institute on his motorcycle. He couldn't believe he was really doing this, leaving his beloved New Orleans behind to escape the council-ordered marriage to Bella Donna. His father had gotten into contact with an old friend of his, Ororo Munroe, a mutant who taught at a school for other mutants, to arrange for Remy to start living at the Institute.

Pushing the intercom button, Remy said, "_Toute personne à domicile?_"

A girl's voice sounded over the speaker. "What did you say?"

Remy chuckled. People really needed to learn French. They also needed to not let little girls control the intercom, you never know what they might tell a complete stranger.

"Remy asked if anybody was home, _p'tite_."

The girl seemed to think about this for a second before responding, if the silence over the intercom was anything to go by. She could also just be calling security or something like that, but Remy doubted it. Finally, her voice returned. "Of course there are people home. How else would I be talking to you? Who _are _you, anyway?"

This caused Remy to chuckle again; this girl was amusing. Her question about whom he was brought back the situation at hand, though, and he pondered that very question himself. He was Remy Etienne LeBeau, of course. The real question was, was he Remy LeBeau, Master Thief Extraordinaire, Prince and Heir of the Thieves' Guild; Remy LeBeau, Charmer of Women; or Remy LeBeau, Future Husband of a Woman He Hates? That was the Million Dollar Question; one that Remy wanted the answers to himself.

Shaking those thoughts away, Remy returned to his conversation with the girl over the intercom who was still awaiting his answer.

"'M Remy LeBeau. 'M here t' see a _Professeur _Xavier." No need to give out too much information.

There was another short pause, then the girl said, "Come on in. He's expecting you."

Remy took a deep breath.

_Here goes not'in'._

A chocolate-skinned woman with snow white hair was waiting on the porch as Remy pulled to a stop. She held herself regally, making her look taller than her petite height. She grinned as Remy made his way up the steps, a grin that was out of character for her; it was joyous and humorous, so different than her calm demeanor.

Remy smirked as she pulled him into a hug.

"_Bonjour, _Stormy."

Storm clucked at him. "Don't call me that."

"_Comme vous voulez, _Stormy," Remy chuckled.

Storm huffed at the youth. "You are incorrigible, Remy LeBeau."

Gambit just chuckled some more, a low, deep sound that had driven many women crazy in the past. Storm looked him over, and noticed slight changes from the egotistical young teen that she had last seen. His eyes had dark circles like he wasn't getting enough sleep, he was slightly thinner than normal, he had a five o'clock shadow, his voice was a little darker and more bitter, and his eyes showed a great pain. Storm couldn't understand what had happened to her friend that would make him age so quickly, and Jean-Luc hadn't given any more information than Remy was trying to postpone his wedding to the Assassin Princess.

"What's happened to you, my friend," she asked. "What has made you look like this?"

Remy turned serious, his eyes dimming with sadness and pain. He merely shook his head before gesturing for the weather witch to lead him inside.

Professor Charles Xavier reached out with his mind as Remy and Ororo made their way down the hall to his office. Strangely, he could sense Ororo's mind, but when he searched for the new prospective student, he found nothing; it was as if Mr. LeBeau wasn't there, though that was proved wrong as the professor heard his voice on the other side of the door.

Charles pushed these thoughts away as he sent into Ororo's mind, _Come in, Storm, _as she raised her hand to knock.

Remy looked around interestedly as he entered the office of the founder of the mutant school. _More like trainin' facility, _he thought, as memories of what Stormy had told him drifted across his mind.

The office had walnut paneling and plush beige carpet. Many matching walnut bookcases lined the walls, filled with books of every size. Centered before a great bay window was a dark, ornately carved desk that Remy knew would be worth a good penny on the market. A thief could just tell.

Though the décor of the room was interesting and expensive, only the man behind the desk mattered. Charles Xavier was wrinkled, bald, and had slate gray eyes that just screamed knowledge and compassion. He was also sitting in a state of the art, motorized wheelchair.

"Welcome to the Xavier Institute, Mr. LeBeau," the paralyzed man said. "I talked to your father when he called Ororo about you attending, but he didn't say much. Ororo wouldn't elaborate either. Would you please tell me a little about yourself?"

Remy sighed. He had not planned on explaining himself, that's where the prof's telepathy came in. "Why don' y' jus' look y'rself; y'r de spook." Even as he said the words, a little voice in his mind that sounded like _Tante _Mattie berated him on his lack of manners. Pushing the voice back, he added, "An' it's Remy, no' Mr. LeBeau. Dat would be _mon père. _M' too young f'dat."

The professor had looked and felt confused when Remy called him a spook. Couldn't say he had ever been called that before. Remy's empathy alerted him to Xavier's amusement when he mentioned his age, though Remy was only 19, and therefore _was _too young to be called Mr. LeBeau in semi-serious matters.

Xavier smiled kindly at the man before him. His attitude was an amusement to the aging man, and his perfect poker face and lack of brainwaves that Xavier could detect kept him from knowing what the Cajun was thinking. That and he wore sunglasses. Indoors. Intrigued, the professor asked about them.

Remy answered truthfully. "People don' like _mes yeux. _Dere's only so much starin' an' runnin' a person can take."

The professor thought that this was a strange reaction to someone's eyes, though he supposed that Remy's eyes may have been affected by his mutation. He couldn't understand how they could be scary enough for somebody to run away and wanted to see them himself.

The young man heaved another, deeper, sigh before muttering, "Y' not gon' like 'em."

As the Cajun lowered his glasses, Xavier gasped. His eyes were unlike anything the experienced mutant had seen before. Instead of a white sclera, it was a deep, pitch black, and instead of a normal blue, grey, green, hazel or brown, the iris was a burning red. An uninvited but irrepressible shiver of fear ran down the old man's spine, making his arms tingle.

Remy smirked as he felt the man's fear, although a sharp pang of hurt went through him as it did every time someone saw his eyes. There was only one person who wasn't spooked by them at first sight, though others had adjusted to them quickly. Rogue, his _chère_, had taken one glance at his eyes and fallen in love with them, she had told him. As his empathy wasn't active then he had no way to prove if this was true or not, but he felt that it was. As his thoughts wandered back to Rogue, Remy pushed himself back into the present and slid his sunglasses back on.

Professor Xavier cleared his throat. "Back to why I don't just use my telepathy on you to learn of your past, there are several reasons. One, I don't like to intrude in a person's mind unless they give me explicit permission; two, it is quite time consuming to sift through all memories and thoughts just for a general reading of somebody's personality; and three, your mind doesn't appear anywhere; it is like you are surrounded by static. Could you tell me why that is?"

"Static? Non, don' know what y'r talkin' 'bout."

"Really? That's intriguing. Could you tell me about your mutation?" The professor was interested by this new happening and couldn't wait to find out what was causing the blockage between his telepathy and the young man's mind.

Remy grinned as he held up a single playing card, the Five of Diamonds. He felt his eyes start to glow brighter as he focused a small flow of energy into the small piece of cardboard. The card began to tingle in his fingers as a soft magenta glow surrounded it, flickering like oddly colored flame. With a small flick of his fingers, Remy sent the playing card into the air where it exploded above their heads. "I can charge anyt'ing non-organic wit' kinetic energy dat makes dem explode."

When Remy stopped his little display, Storm cleared her throat from the corner where she had been forgotten for a moment. "Remy," she said warningly.

Remy sighed as he reluctantly continued with, "'M also an empath. Anyt'ing y' feel, I feel t'. Got a bit o' charm, t'; improves m' nat'ral _charisme._"

Xavier hummed with a bit of a crease between his brow before saying, "I would like to look further into your powers later on, maybe start to understand why I can't feel your mind. Right now though, I would appreciate if you would answer my original question. Please, tell me a bit about yourself."

**Rogue**

Rogue tapped her fingers impatiently as she waited for the professor in the Rec. Room with the rest of the institute's population. She was sitting in a corner, separated from everyone else, just listening to the chatter and speculation going on around her. Those that had been in the DR with her were looking quite battered, but they were present instead of in the Med Lab like she thought they would be.

Just as Rogue was ready to skip out on the meeting, she caught a slight noise from the hallway. Nobody but Logan had noticed the sound, but that wasn't too surprising; as a thief, she had had to have finely tuned hearing to avoid getting caught. Some might have thought that her skills would have faded over the last two years, but she secretly practiced in the Danger Room and in the city sometimes.

The doors swung open to reveal the prof. and Storm with a shadowed figure stood behind them. The stranger followed as Storm wheeled Xavier into the room, throwing the definitely male shape into the light.

Rogue felt a painful stab of recognition and heartache as she gazed upon someone she never thought she would see again. The blood seemed to rush from her brain, leaving her pale and light-headed, the professor's words falling on her unhearing ears.

"Students, as you have probably guessed, we have a new member. He is from Louisiana and is 20 years old. I hope you will make him feel at home."

Murmurs sounded through the room as the girls giggled and blushed over his looks and the boys grumbled in a mixture of curiosity and jealousy. Rogue sat blindly through all this, all of her senses attuned to the man standing in the doorway, the man she had once upon a time promised herself to, had once given a piece of herself.

Kurt called out, "What's his name," obviously forgetting he could just ask the so far mute mutant.

As the professor opened his mouth to speak and the new recruit smirked, Rogue uttered breathlessly, "Remy LeBeau."

Remy's eyes widened behind his sunglasses and his jaw slacked gracelessly as his eyes landed on the girl. There, not ten feet from him, sat the young woman he had been searching the whole world for for the past two years. And as he stared uncomprehendingly, a name that neither she nor he had heard in so long slipped through his open mouth. "Anna Marie."


	5. Emotions, Arguments, and Leaving

**Well, another chapter gone by. This one gave me a lot of trouble because I wasn't quite sure what I wanted done or where I wanted to end it. I'd like to thank all the reviewers from all the chapters since I seem to be forgetting to do that, and I hope you all like this one.**

** Another thing, I forgot to put some translations at the end of last chapter so here they are. Remember, these are not the easy and/or common ones.**

**Comme vous voulez- As you wish**

**Charisme- Charisma**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Past Discretions**

**Chapter Four**

Rogue couldn't believe her eyes as she walked slowly toward her old love. Remy was just staring at her, mouth gaping, eyes wide, and she mused for a moment that she had managed to catch the Cajun off guard. It wasn't the first time though; when Rogue was still in New Orleans, she had made it a game to see if she could throw her boyfriend off his game, if only for a moment. She had succeeded many times, but most of those had ended in make-out sessions and foreplay. Many of Remy's family and friends had not believed that they had never actually gone all the way, but Remy had managed to resist and obey Rogue's wishes, no matter what. However, that was probably what had driven him to the swamp witch.

Remembering just what had sent her running from her beloved New Orleans brought a bitter taste to her mouth and the anger bubbling in her pleaded for release, which was quickly granted. As Rogue stopped in front of the stunned Remy, her hand came up faster than the others in the room, completely forgotten about by the reunited sweethearts, could see, curling into a fist and smashing into Remy's jaw with a loud SMACK. Remy's head turned and flung sideways from the force of the blow.

"Y' never were _une _fo' reg'lar slaps, were y' _chèri_," Remy asked through his pain-filled jaw. He knew that Rogue hadn't put her full strength into the punch, otherwise he wouldn't be able to talk at all, but the bit she did put in hurt nearly as much.

Rogue felt her anger soar to new heights and the sting of bitter love and betrayal as she heard the name that Remy had reserved for her. All other females had been _petite, belle, fille _or _femme_. In his honey-like voice and husky accent the endearment made her stomach twist and her knees shaky, though she would never let him see the power he had over her. Instead, she snapped, "_Ne m'appelle pas comme ça! Vous avez perdu tous les droits de le faire que lorsque tu as triché sur moi avec Bella Donna!_"_Don't call me that! You lost all rights to do that when you cheated on me with Bella Donna!_

"_De que parlez-vous? Je ne ferais jamais cela! Et particulièrement pas avec cette putain!_" _What are you talking about? I would never do that! And especially not with that whore!_ Remy felt his insides reeling as his empathy fixed on the angry young woman's emotions. He had never quite felt anything more powerful than betrayal and love, and both seemed to be rolling through his promised in front of him. The slight emotional overload Remy was on made his mind forget what happened at least momentarily, because after he said that stupid sentence he flinched, expecting the worst.

Rogue's anger doubled. How dare he come into her home, call her by that infernal endearment, and then try to tell her that her anger was unfounded and that she was imagining things? She didn't care that he didn't say it outright, it was implied enough. "_Je vous ai vu, tu mens bâtard. Quand je suis revenu avec une autre boisson, Bella a été suspendu à tes lèvres comme si elle seraient en chute libre à sa mort si elle a lâché! Et vous n'avez pas l'arrêter!_"_I saw you, you lying bastard. __When I came back with another drink, Bella was hanging off your lips like she would plummet to her death if she let go! __And you didn't stop her!_ Rogue was yelling by the end, repressing the urge to pull out the daggers hidden in her boots.

Remy found his voice rising to match his beloved's. Couldn't she just let him explain? "_Je n'avais pas le choix! Elle aurait-_"_I had no choice! __She would have-._

Rogue interrupted, amazed that he was even defending himself. "_Elle aurait ce qui? Fait te vont-ils le célibataire pendant une semaine? Ah, non, qui est impossible, parce que vous irez juste trouvaille un autre petit slut à dormir avec!_" _She would have what? Made you go celibate for a week? Oh, no, that is impossible, because you will just go find another little slut to sleep with!_

"_Tu ne peux pas me faire confiance? Je n'ai pas dormi avec quelqu'un!_" _Can't you just trust me? I did not sleep with anyone!_

Rogue finally exploded as she heard that. Her eyes clouded with red and suddenly her fists and feet were raining down on the poor Cajun. Remy made no move to block them as he was doubled over from the fierceness of her emotions and from the new pain she was pounding on him. When Rogue pulled back, she was barely breathing hard, and the little bit that she was was probably due to rage. She yelled, "_Trust vous? Le problème est que j'ai fait! Vous avez été la première personne que j'ai confiance en années et tu m'as trahi!_"_Trust you? The problem is that I did! You were the first person I trusted in years and you betrayed me!_ Now, her voice quieted, full of self-loathing and disgust for the handsome, yet scruffy and pained man in front of her. "_Je ne peux pas croire que je pensais que vous pouviez changer. Le Diable Blanc ne change pas pour personne, surtout pas pour une fille avec une vie pleine de problèmes. Laisse-moi tranquille, et revenir à l'enfer d'où vous venez._"_I cannot believe I thought you could change. The White Devil doesn't change for anyone, especially not for a girl with a life full of problems. Just leave me alone, and go back to the hell you came from._With those biting words, Rogue stalked out of the room, and soon the slam of another door and the roar of a motorcycle indicated that she had left the mansion.

The other occupants of the building sat scattered in the Rec. Room, all facing the Cajun. They couldn't believe the fight they had just witnessed, even though they had no idea what had been said, as it was in French. As it was, those that did know French- such as Jean Grey, Professor Xavier, Mr. McCoy, and Ms. Munroe- were still baffled, as the two fighters had been speaking French since they were children and were very fluent; the words were too rushed for the others to comprehend more than a few.

Remy himself was shocked. His _chère _had never called him _Le Diable Blanc, _or The White Devil, unless she was teasing. She had known how much that name had hurt him and yet she used it anyway.

_ Well, it's not like y' don' deserve it,_ Remy thought to himself, the self-disgust and loathing overriding any other emotion in him. _Y' _did _let de swamp witch kiss y'. Y' know how Anna is wit' trust, and y' know y'r lucky dat y'r not on de floor wit' a dagger in y'r gut instead of a few bruises._

Just as Remy was coming out of his trance-like state, Ororo asked, "Remy, what was that about?"

Remy sighed. "Not'in', Stormy. Not'in'."

**Well that was **_**a lot**_** of French. I was debating putting the translations after the sentence or paragraph and putting them at the end. I decided on putting them at the end, but I had a few complaints so I moved them to after they are said.**


	6. Breakfast, Returning, and Threats

**I'm sorry about the long wait, but I did say updates would be slow. I have Algebra II homework nearly every night, softball practice 2 hours a day, and softball games that last at least 4 hours. Not to mention actually being at school, writing original stories, and keeping up with my reading of books and fanfiction. I basically write about twenty minutes a week.**

**I'm not quite sure about this chapter. I would appreciate you telling me if you like it or not, but it's really just so I can get the others' reactions and Rogue coming back, maybe even a DR session. Also, I call Remy's coat a duster because it's too long to be a trench coat.**

**Disclaimer: I own niks. Intet. ****Niets. Mitte midagi. Wala. Nichts. Pa gen anyen. Semmi. Ekkert. Tidak ada. Niente. Nekas. Xejn. ****Ingenting. Nimic. Chochote. Dim. Nada. Rien. Nothing. In 20 different languages.**

**Past Discretions**

**Chapter Five**

'_Snikt'_. Suddenly there were six gleaming metal claws a centimeter from Remy's face. Remy hid his shock and slight fear well; after all, he had grown up being threatened by Guild Assassins, and they were the best you could get. Logan wasn't fooled. His nose picked up the scent of fear even through the cloud of spices, cigarette smoke, and bike fumes, and it cheered him on. He moved his face close to the Cajun's, the hand with the claws not extended wrapped around Remy's throat.

"What did you say to her, bub," Wolverine growled, pissed at this man that had sauntered in as if he owned the place and then proceeded to fight with 'his' Stripes, the girl that had seemingly become Logan's daughter. Logan had no idea what was said, but from the looks on their faces and the scents coming from their bodies, it had to be painful and mean.

Remy smirked, despite the unspoken threat from the older, short man. "Dat's none o' y'r business, _Monsieur _Claws. If the _fille _wanted y' t' know, she would've tol' y'. Or yelled in _Anglais._ Not m' fault y' don' know 'er as well as y' should. Now, would y' kindly remove y'r hand from m' throat?"

Logan growled ferociously and squeezed his hand tighter. The arrogance contained in the younger man's voice had Logan instantly ready to smash his nose in, but he refrained. Instead, he watched the steadily darkening colors of this LeBeau character's face. Just as he was about to ask again what was said, the professor interrupted.

"Logan, please let go of Mr. LeBeau. What he said was true, Rogue should have told us, but since she obviously didn't want us to know, we cannot force answers from Gambit. Now, Ororo, would you show our new student to his room please? I'm afraid that the introductions will have to wait until tomorrow."

"Of course, Professor. Follow me, Remy. You will have a room to yourself…"

Storm's voice drifted off as she and Remy walked up the stairs and into the student wing. As the stunned silence carried on, the professor turned to depart. Just before leaving the room though, he said, "It would be wise if you got some sleep children. You wouldn't want to miss tomorrow's training session, would you?"

The next morning brought with it the sunny skies of a warm spring day and the refreshed feeling in the X-Men when they woke. Of course, this calmness was soon ruined by the rush for breakfast and preparing for the early DR session with Wolverine, which might be better than usual, if only that they got to test the new comer.

Speaking of the newbie, he still was not awake, sleeping through the loud noises of mutant teens fighting over who got the donuts. This was killing the students, because they desperately wanted to know how Remy knew the resident goth. They were all curious about her past, as not even the professor knew anything other than her adoption by Mystique and the nature of how her powers manifested. Rogue didn't talk with them; didn't confide with Jean as all the other girls did, or tell Scott just so something wouldn't come back and bite them in the butt on a mission; wasn't scared into telling Logan, or mothered into telling Ororo; she didn't even let the professor know, though he was probably in her mind daily to try to help with her powers and psyches. Many of the other girls, however, wanted to know how Rogue could punch such a sexy man like that.

The sound of a motorcycle drifted into the ears of the many students in the kitchen, and was identified as Rogue's Harley, a 1200 Low 2010 Sportster that Logan had presented her with a few months before. It was painted Cherry Red Sunglo and diligently taken care of by the southerner. Others were not allowed to touch Rogue's bike under pain of torture.

The teens quickly went back to assembling breakfast, not willing to test Rogue's wrath this early in the morning, no matter how desperate for answers they were. As the girl entered the mansion that she had called home for the past year, her teammates' eyes flashed at her sporadically, trying to measure if it would be safe to ask questions. Jean and Scott, however, didn't care if their actions posed a threat to their lives, and they asked, "What is your problem, Rogue? Why did you attack the new student last night and then run off without telling us where you were going? Where have you been?"

Rogue scowled. "Mah problem is you two actin' like goddamn Siamese twins. What Ah do to the Cajun ain't none o' yer business an' neither is where Ah go. Now leave meh the hell alone!"

Jean jerked back as if slapped while Scott's face turned an unflattering blotchy red. Before Fearless Leader and his trusted sidekick could retort, however, Rogue blew past them and stomped up the stairs to her room.

The Danger Room session dawned just after breakfast, as it was a weekend. The X-Men crowded in the Control Room, waiting for Wolverine to explain the session, and whispering at Remy, who had turned up in a leather suit that fit him perfectly and his tan duster. Remy, however, just sat thinking of what had happened in the locker room.

_The 'thunk' of the door alerted Remy to an intruder, which wasn't surprising considering that he was in the locker room, but he hadn't heard any footsteps, which was surprising. Lifting the block in his mind, he felt the special link between him and Rogue come alive like it only did when she was near. The goth's emotions sizzled white-hot and electric, with a slight stomach-churning feeling. Turning, Remy met Rogue's eyes._

"_T'ought y' were mad at m', _chèri_."_

_Rogue didn't answer, only shot him a glare that made her eyes glow like the most precious emeralds Remy had ever seen. Finally, she said, "Don' use all yer skills, _Gambit_. Ah don' wanna hafta explain where y' might o' learned 'em or how Ah got involved with someone like you. So hold back an' make it believable." With that, Rogue turned and strode out the door, not giving the Cajun a chance to retort._

Remy was pulled from his reverie by the grouchy man that threatened him last night storming into the room.

"All right, listen up," Wolverine said. "Today we'll be testing the Cajun to see what he's got. The first test will be accuracy. To make sure the rest of you get a workout, you will be wearing targets and moving around, trying to dodge whatever Gumbo throws at ya. The computer will record how many times you get hit, and for every hit, you get a mile to run. Now get in there!"


	7. Danger Room, Disguises, and Concussions

**Terribly sorry for the super long period between updates, but school just ended a week ago with a bunch of exams, and now I'm in driver's training, so that takes some time. Also, I'm not really good with writing a lot at a time, and I'm not good at writing long chapters. This one's only three pages. I think that's because I hate it when people feel the need to explain every little thing or they reveal much of the plot. Oh well, who knows, who cares?**

**On another note, you all should check out **_**If I Stay**_**, by Gayle Foreman. It's not very long, but it's excellently written. I read it five times in a week. And if you really love it, you'll write some fanfiction for it, because it's section only has one story, and I would really like to know what others think will happen in Mia's life.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothin'.**

**

* * *

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Past Discretions

**Chapter Six**

Remy stood still, his only movement the shuffling of his cards, and watched the metal Danger Room become downtown New York. The hustle of the crowd pushed around him, urging him to join the current of people. Ads flashed everywhere, cars honked in the rush hour traffic jam, and the many students that had spread around him in the room where absorbed into the scenery.

Remembering his task, Remy looked around, trying to spot some marker of his targets, each of which he had studied as much as he could before the simulation started. A girl caught his eye. She was young, maybe mid-teens, and had dark skin and hair. She was trying to maneuver sneakily, at least as much as she could with the cardboard target hanging from her shoulders on string, front and back. Remy quickly slipped a card from his deck, the four of diamonds, and watched as it lit up with magenta, keeping the charge low as to not hurt the girl. When the tanned girl felt the shock that went through the target, she looked down, not expecting to see a charred patch of cardboard right over the bull's-eye. She looked around, but couldn't see the handsome man with the devil's eyes that she was supposed to avoid. The girl groaned as she remembered the mile she would have to run for getting hit, then merged herself back into the crowd to look for another hiding spot.

Remy drifted through the streets, waiting and watching for his prey. Finally, movement on a rooftop caught his eye. Glancing up, Remy saw three blobs, not discernable to his light-sensitive eyes as they were in front of the sun, which hurt his eyes even with his sunglasses on. Remy smirked and made his way into the building.

* * *

Rogue moved with the crowd, hiding her hair and uniform with a sweatshirt that she pulled on under her target. She kept on the move, trying not to draw attention to herself, going into buildings every now and then, hoping that she looked like a normal teen in New York. Remy was prowling the city, and Rogue knew that he had already blasted the rest of the X-Men and New Recruits at least once each. He would come after her next.

The hair on the back of Rogue's neck rose, a tingle spreading through her body. Obviously, Remy was on her tail now, all she had to do was shake him of or keep him from getting a good shot at her target. Rogue snorted. _Easier said than done,_ she thought.

Rogue kept her pace even, moving into a small hole-in-the-wall store that looked out of place among the skyscrapers and trendy cafés and boutiques of the city. The store was full of indie clothes, and the only employee present in the front was a young blond girl at the register. A handful of shoppers roamed the store. It was a little too empty to try to escape in, but it would have to do.

Rogue quickly walked to the changing rooms, dodging customers and grabbing clothes as she went. Ducking into a stall, she went to work.

Five minutes later, Rogue was dressed in a style so unlike her usual gothic look that it was unlikely that any of the mansion's residents would recognize her. The trick was to make sure Remy didn't. Rogue was wearing a bright blue singlet, a short black zip up sweater, and cargo pants, with her white streaks tucked under a hat, and sneakers on her feet.

The bell rang, signaling a person entering the store, and Rogue caught a glimpse of Remy out of the corner of her eye, and turned her attention to a rack of t-shirts. Hopefully her disguise would work.

Remy glanced around the small store, looking for the girl he knew was there. His empathic sense hummed with hope, restlessness, and bashfulness, which was a strange mix, even for Rogue. Looking in the direction the emotions came from, Remy saw a girl dressed in the type of clothes displayed in the store, but there was something about the way her head was angled that she drew Remy's attention.

He smirked. _Roguey'll have t' do better dan dat, _he thought. _Though de indie clothes are new. Kinda interestin' seein' de _fille _wit'out all de clothes and make-up _merde.

Remy started to slowly stalk towards the indie-dressed goth. His footsteps were light and silent, not even his duster made any noise. Suddenly, Rogue spun, a piece of metal she had managed to pry off the clothes rack racing toward Remy's head. The Cajun ducked and flung a charged card at the target on Rogue's front. She dove away, tucked into a roll, and came up to swing the piece of metal up to clash against Remy's bo-staff just in time to block a blow to her head. They continued like that, slashing and blocking, throwing charged cards and random clothing picked to block vision or provide a distraction. Neither knew how long this continued in the flurry of adrenaline, but finally it came to a stop when a card slipped past Rogue's guard to hit her target, and Rogue brought the now bent piece of liberated metal crashing into Remy's head. The Cajun dropped to the floor with a thump, his hand to his bloody head. The last thing he saw was Rogue's astonished face as she looked from the metal in her hand to her concussed ex on the floor.


	8. Doctors, Truth, and Agreements

**Past Discretions**

**Chapter Seven**

"Well, Mr. LeBeau," Mr. McCoy said as he put away his small flashlight, "It seems that you just received a mild concussion. Nothing to worry about, but you say you've had concussions before, so I trust you to come to me if anything is out of sort. I would like to check on you tomorrow, nevertheless."

Remy sighed in relief and hopped down from his bed in the med lab where he had woken up. The lights were bright, so he was thankful that someone had thought to put his sunglasses near at hand. The blue furry doctor had surprised him at first, but his cheerful manner quickly made Remy relax- at least a little bit. It didn't seem likely that Hank McCoy- the man who had quoted at least three classical books and four famous poets in the space of time it took for Remy to calm down and for the beast to check his functions- would be an insane scientist hell-bent on experimenting on the Cajun, no matter how much Remy fought him and denied him.

Dashing from the room before the doctor could change his mind, Remy ran to where he remembered the elevator to be. Slipping inside, he didn't notice the other occupant until the doors had closed.

Rogue watched in amusement as Remy recovered from his brief stint in the med lab. She waited for him to say something, but when it was obvious he wouldn't, she hesitantly started. "Remy, Ah- Ah'm sorry. Fer attackin' ya when ya first arrived. Fer demandin' things when Ah don' have the right. Fer knockin' ya unconscious." Rogue sighed. "Fer everythin'."

Remy looked at her in surprise. Rogue had always been stubborn and he could count the number of times she had ever apologized on one hand. Remy did notice though, that on the list of things she was sorry for, Rogue hadn't mentioned that she was sorry for leaving without a word. "We need t' talk, _chèri. _Know anywhere private?"

"Yeah. Follow meh." Heading out of the opening elevator doors, Rogue strode through the entrance hall. The heat of Remy's body radiated onto her back, warming her more than anything else could. To tell the truth, Rogue had missed that heat, missed the way Remy could send her insides twisting with just a look. Thoughts of their past relationship consumed her, and she walked out the main doors and to the rarely used gazebo on the cliff.

Rogue settled herself by a rail looking over the ocean, and Remy watched the tension and anxiousness drain out of her. He stood close, though not touching, not willing to make her hackles rise again. Things were different from the way they were before; Remy didn't have Rogue's implicit trust anymore.

"What'd ya wanna talk 'bout, Rem?"

Remy sighed. "Y'know, when y'…when y' left, it really hurt. I knew why, once I realized y' were gone. I just wish dat y' woulda given me a chance t' explain."

Rogue stiffened as soon as she realized what he was talking about. She had spent the last two years denying her past, trying to forget everything that had to do with her love. She had hardened herself even more than before, simply refusing to associate with anyone who posed a threat. That's why she 'crushed' on Scott; he wasn't the type to hurt her. "Explain then."

Hesitantly, Remy started. "Bella Donna had a team o' Assassins at de club dat night. None o' us noticed 'em, but den Bella came up t' me when y' went t' de bathroom an' bar. She said dat if I resisted her, den she'd have dose_ bâtards _kill y', an' Henri, an' Mercy, an' the cousins. I couldn' let dat happen,_ chèri._ I couldn' let y' die.

"When I couldn' find y' later, it broke m' heart. An' findin' y'r promise ring just broke me, period. I've been lookin' fo' y' ever since. Never thought I'd find y' here, dough."

Looking up at him with exasperation and slight anger, Rogue said, "We coulda protected ourselves, Remy LeBeau. Fighting Assassins was practically our way o' life, ya fool! An' yet ya chose t' break mah heart and ya own, just so we didn't have t' fight any psychotic killers? That is some seriously messed up logic!"

"_Je sais, je sais_, y' don' hafta tell m', _chère._ I was an idiot, an' I've had t' live wit' it fo' too long! I jus' wanna try t' make it up t' y'. Will y' let me?" Remy looked at her hesitantly, not willing to incur her wrath any longer. He just wanted his girl back, just wanted to be with her as he was before, not the tense day that they'd had so far. Even 24 hours of tension was too much for Remy.

Rogue stared back at him, looking deep in his eyes, seeing only his want and love. Finally, she said, "Ya got a lot ta make up, Swamp Rat. You can try, but Ah'm not promisin' ta make it easy. Actually, ya can expect meh ta punch ya whenever ya do somethin' Ah don't like. But yeah, you can try."

Rogue turned and started walking back to the house. Remy just watched her go, a smirk on his face and a smile in his eyes as he watched her hips sway. He was glad for the second chance.


	9. Staring, Introductions, and Requests

** I'm sorry for the long gaps in updates, but truthfully, I'm an extremely lazy person when I don't have sports to go to for hours every day. And I take up a lot of time watching **_**Buffy**_** or reading other fanfiction and books. So, sorry.**

** Please send me a review, and as much as I love the one-liners, constructive criticism is appreciated. Thank you!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Past Discretions**

**Chapter Eight**

Remy lounged in front of the mass of teens in the Rec. Room, ignoring both the blatant stares and fleeting glances shot at him. His attention was solely on the girl across the room from him as she read the newest book by Richelle Mead, _Spirit Bound_. Remy drank in the way her hair fluttered around her shoulders in the slight breeze entering through the open window, the way her face changed expressions with each new scene. Rogue was completely oblivious to his stares, which was an all too rare occurrence, so Remy would enjoy it while he could.

Eventually, the professor rolled into the room with the other teachers. The instant hush that befell the rambunctious lot of teens made it obvious that the professor joining them in the Rec. Room was rare.

"Students," Xavier said, "I would like you to meet the newest member of the X-Men, Remy LeBeau. Even though Mr. LeBeau did not finish the tests, we believe that the skills he had shown were enough. If you could all introduce yourselves, please?"

Scott, as the team leader, decided he would go first. "I'm Scott. My codename is Cyclops and I'm team leader." Remy stared at the boy. There was nothing too remarkable about him; he was moderately handsome but Remy sensed that he had a dull personality. By the way that Scooter arranged himself close to the leggy redhead with his arm wrapped around her, the Cajun guessed that the other boy was the possessive type.

Red was up next. "I'm Jean Grey, I have no codename, and I'm telepathic and telekinetic. I am also co-captain of the team."

The introductions continued, circling around the room, and Remy made sure to memorize everything he was told and include a face to put the information to. It was revealed that the first girl he had taken out in target practice yesterday was the young Nova Roman, Princess Amara Aquilla.

Finally, the last introduction was made- a blue German boy named Kurt that swung his tail around as he balanced on the back of the couch- and Xavier asked, "Why don't you tell us something about yourself, Remy?"

Remy groaned internally; he had hoped to avoid telling the do-gooders anything about him, but he supposed that they could be told superficial things. He just had to hope that the X-Men knew nothing about the Guilds and who ran them. "_Mon nom est _Remy LeBeau, but y' can call me Gambit. I'll be _vingt ans _in a few mont's, an' m' from _La Nouvelle-Orléans_. I's nice t' meet y'."

The professor smiled. "Thank you all. Now, don't you think you should be outside enjoying the nice weather? Remy, Rogue, may I see you in my office please?"

As the other students rushed outside to revel in the summer sun, the two southerners followed Professor Xavier to his office.


	10. Office, Explanations, and Attacks

**Alright, so I know this is a _really _short update after a _really _long time, but I have no excuse. I have lost inspiration. I know what I want to happen in the end, but no idea how I'm going to get there. Send me some ideas if you want. Reviews are appreciated.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. But if you really feel the need, don't sue me. Just throw me in the loony bin, school gives me practice.**

**Past Discretions**

**Chapter Nine**

Rogue's stomach bubbled with nervousness, rising toward her heart and up her throat. She suppressed the urge to bounce her leg like a jackhammer, putting her energy into keeping up her poker face instead. Remy's closeness set her left side to tingle and her twitchiness started to calm. If there was anyone who could get them out of a sticky situation, Rogue had no doubt that it'd be him.

The professor settled behind his desk and looked across at the Southerners. Neither mind was accessible to him, Rogue because of her psyches, but he still didn't know why Gambit's was invisible for all intents and purposes. However, Xavier was adept at reading body language. Rogue seemed to have lost her hostility, seeming to lean closer to Gambit to seek comfort, even as her face hardened into an impassive mask. Gambit also looked impassive, but he was shuffling his cards faster than Xavier had seen him do in the couple days he'd known the Cajun.

Clearing his throat, the professor said, "I know that what happened earlier is private, but what happened in the Danger Room could have been fatal. You both displayed far higher skill than I'd known you possessed. Rogue, you could have killed Remy if you had hit him harder. Now, I want you both to tell me where you learned to fight like that and why there was so much animosity between you."

Rogue and Remy exchanged looks before Remy opened his mouth.

The professor sat in shocked silence, his mind reeling over everything he'd been told. Distantly, he heard himself force out, "Thank you. You may leave."

After the shutting of the door, Xavier dropped his head to his hands and rubbed his temples. _Two of my students are Thieves. They belong to an international crime syndicate. Holy shit! What am I going to do? One has an impending marriage to a Princess Assassin, and the other is hell-bent on stopping it. This could endanger all of my students._ Charles sighed. _Should I kick them out? They're the best fighters we have. They have no place to go but to a city where they will most likely be killed. But are they much better here? What am I supposed to do?_

The professor was pulled out of his thoughts by a small alert going off on his computer.

The Acolytes were attacking downtown New York!

"Team," Charles said into his intercom, "suit up. We're heading to New York."


	11. Chaos, Psylocke, and Powers

**Check end for A/N.**

**Past Discretions**

**Chapter Ten**

Chaos reigned supreme as the Blackbird flew over the city. Windows were shattered, buildings were starting to crumble, cars were on fire, and people were either fleeing or trapped. Rogue felt her breath catch in her throat; she had lived in orphanages and on the streets, faced Assassins, and worked for a terrorist, but she had never seen such careless destruction. She felt Remy shift against her, and she knew that he was awed, too.

Logan cleared his throat. At first glance, he didn't seem much affected by the state of the city, but those who looked closer at his eyes would notice feral animal stirring within. He gave brusque orders. "Shadowcat, Nightcrawler, Jean; you protect the people, try to get the trapped and wounded out. Everyone else, take out the morons. Got it?" He didn't wait for an answer. "Good."

He touched the Blackbird down on a hopefully stable rooftop, hit the ramp button, and charged down, hopping off the building to the havoc below.

Rogue panted as she twisted and turned, avoiding Psylocke's glowing purple blades. This was the first time she had faced the purple-haired Asian, but the southerner had seen Psylocke's victims – eyes that stared into the distance, some corpse-like in their dullness, others terror filled, and some people just unconscious, twitching on the ground.

Aiming a high kick, Rogue caught the Asian's chin, sending her stumbling back. Rogue followed after, taking advantage of Psylocke's moment of weakness to take the offensive. Blows rained down, too many for Psylocke to block but she still tried, her psy-blades disappearing. Finally, Rogue's bare hand caught the Acolyte's wrist, a rush of power and thoughts went through her. Psylocke slumped to the ground.

Rogue pushed her hands to her temples, trying to settle down Psylocke's roiling memories and the thoughts of those around her.

Shoving Betsy Braddock's psyche to the back of her mind, the southerner strode off, further into the battle, psy-blades emerging from her hands, ready to _end_ the chaos destroying downtown New York.

**I am terribly sorry for the horribly long wait, but I haven't really been inspired. At all. So, for the last couple months all I've done is go through old writing to proof-read.**

**Due to my constant late updates and lack of inspiration, I've been thinking of putting this story up for adoption. So, if anyone would like to take this over, PM me. If not, don't worry, I'll continue my sloooooooooooow updates.**

**Thanks.**


	12. Notice of Adoption

** Hey, everyone! I know I haven't posted in forever, but I have some news. I have lost interest in this story, and I barely read anything in the X-Men fandom anymore, so xmangal will be taking over. She's showed an interest in it, and she'll gladly take your support and comments. I will keep what I've posted up, but I encourage everyone to head on over to her profile and check out what she does with the story. She also has my permission to edit what I've written to her heart's desire, so no complaining about that.**

** I hope no one is mad at me about this, at least this way the story will be continued. In the meantime, I have dozens of ideas, both Fanfiction and original, that I want to work on.**

** SUPPORT XMANGAL!**


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